Bottom emptying drainage container for medical liquids



United States Patent Inventors Appl. No. Filed Patented Assignee BOTTOM EMPTYING DRAINAGE CONTAINER FOR MEDICAL LIQUIDS 13 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs. u.s. c1 128/275, 150/8, 222/527 Int. Cl A6lf5/44 Field of Search l28/(Bag Digest), 227, 232, 275, 295; 150/8; 222/538,

PrimaryExaminer-Charles F. Rosenbaum Attorneys-Larry N. Barger and Robert T. Merrick ABSTRACT: A drainage container for collecting urine output from a patient over an extended period of time. The container has a tubular neck which is attached to an adapter joined to one end ofa flexible collection tube and the adapter is secured to the container neck by a rigid collar to prevent separation of the adapter and neck during urine collection. Urine is removed from the container through an outlet port structure and emptying tube near a bottom of the container. A protector joined to the rigid collar by a flexible web fits over an outer end of the emptying tube keeping it above a liquid level in the container when not in use for emptying the container.

BOTTOM EMPTYING DRAINAGE CONTAINER FOR MEDICAL LIQUIDS This invention relates to a container for collecting urine or other medical fluid from a patient. In hospitals it is often desirable to catheterize a patient by inserting a tubular catheter into his urethral canal. The catheter is connected to a collection tube leading to a reservoir or container. It is to this container that the invention pertains.

In many instances a patient is on a catheter for several days and perhaps several weeks. The patients urine output over this extended time is considerable and the container must be emptied periodically. One method of emptying the container involves disconnecting the collection tube from the container mouth and inverting the container to pour the urine either into a toilet bowl or into a receptacle for laboratory analysis.

We have invented an improved drainage container which is bottom emptying and which is permanently connected to an adapter at one end of the collection tube. A rigid collar around the adapter ensures that the collection tube and container do not come apart during use and spill urine. When the container needs emptying, a nurse opens aclarnp on an emptying tube joined to the container near its bottom. This emptying tube has an outer end held above a liquid level in the container, so the container cannot drain if the container is accidently opened. Regardless of how long the container is used on a patient, the nurse never has to disconnect the collection tube to empty the container.

The specific details of this invention will become more apparent with reference to the following drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the container;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the adapter and collar assembly on the containers neck;

FlG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of one embodiment of the outlet port structure; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the outlet port structure.

With reference to these drawings, the container 1 has a rigid tubular neck 2 at its top wall. This container can be a collapsible blow molded cubical container of one-piece homogeneous plastic material, or alternatively, it can be a lay flat plastic bag with a rigid neck sealed to the bag. Leading into the tubular neck 2 is a collection tube 3 with a connector 4 at a distal end 5 adapted to connect to a fluid source such as a catheter in a patients urethral canal. This collection tube 3 extends to a proximate end 6 which is connected to the tubular neck by an adapter 7 and rigid collar 8. At a bottom of the container is an outlet port structure 9 which connects to an emptying tube 10. The details of the adapter, collar and outlet port structure will be explained below.

Taking up the adapter and collar first, the adapter 7 includes an inner skirt 11 and an outer skirt 12 which fit respectively inside and outside the tubular neck. A transverse shoulder 13 joins these two skirts 11 and 12 and abuts an upper end of the tubular neck. Across an upper portion of the adapter is a flexible transverse wall 14 with a convoluted surface, and this wall has a tubular connector 15 joined to proximate end 6 of collection tube 3. Preferably, the adapter also includes a depending drip tube 16. Holding this adapter to the tubular neck is an internal groove 17 on the outer skirt which mates with an external transverse rib 18 on the tubular neck. This adapter construction is very similar to the adapter disclosed in the Folkman and Thornton U.S. Pat. No. 3,357,429 and the convoluted end wall allows the collection tube to be cocked relative to the tubular neck without kinking the collection tube.

In the design shown in the above-mentioned patent, it was necessary to disconnect the adapter from the container to empty the container. ln the present invention just the opposite is intended. Here, the adapter is permanently attached to the tubular container neck so it cannot come loose. This permanent connection is ensured by a rigid collar 8 surrounding the adapters outer skirt and holding the outer skirts groove 17 closely fitting around rib 18 on the tubular neck. The collar has an inwardly directed flange 20 that overlies the shoulder 13 connecting the two skirts, and also has an internal snap rib 21 that snaps under the lower edge ofouter skirt 12 to lock the collar on the adapter. If desired, there can be a vent structure between the adapter and tubular neck as explained in U.S. Pat. No. 3,357,429.

With the adapter firmly held onto the tubular neck, a nurse can freely manipulate an emptying tube at the containers bottom knowing that the unit will not break loose at the joint between the adapter 7 and neck 2. Preferably, the container 1, adapter 7, collar 8 and collection tube 3 are preconnected by the manufacturer and they remain together at all times until they are discarded.

Having discussed the adapter and collar assembly, we now go to the specific structure of the outlet port and emptying tube. FIG. 3 shows a first embodiment of the port structure. Near a bottom of the container is an aperture in the containers side wall. A coupling 22 has a hollow stem portion 23 which extends through the aperture and a flange 24 on one end of the stem portion remains inside the container with the flange being larger in diameter then the aperture. During assembly of the outlet port structure, the coupling 22 is inserted through tubular neck 2 and shoved through the aperture until in the position shown in FlG. 3.

Outside the container wall, the protruding stem portion 23 of the coupling 22 has an external snap ring 25 spaced a distance from the coupling flange 24. The forward edge of this snap ring 25 is tapered so a thin washer 26 with an opening smaller in diameter than snap ring 25 can be forced over the snap ring to wedge the container wall tightly between the flange 24 and washer 26. As shown in FIG. 3, the washer has a thickened peripheral rib 27 and a thinned center section. Thus, the flange 24 can fit within rib 27 so the container wall is clamped both along a front face and an outer edge of flange 24 to ensure no leakage. A sealing gasket 28 of rubber or other resilient material is shown between the flange 24 and container wall.

With the coupling attached to the container wall in this liquid-tight manner, a first end of an emptying tube 10 can be wedged onto stem portion 23. As shown in FIG. 3, the stem portion has a series of retaining ribs 30, 31 which frictionally engage an inner surface of the emptying tube. For an even firmer grip a rubber sleeve 32 can be telescoped over the emptying tube to hold it to the stem portion of the coupling.

FlG. 4 shows a modification of the coupling 33. In this embodiment, emptying tube 10 fits inside the stem portion 35 of the coupling and is cemented or solvent sealed thereto. A gasket 37 is shown in an alternate position from the gasket 28 of FIG. 3. Here, the gasket 37 is between the container wall and washer 36.

Referring back to HO. 1, the container 1 and emptying tube 10 are supplied as shown in the solid lines. The second end of the emptying tube 10 has a connector 38 with an enlarged flange 39. When the container is being filled with urine, the connector is kept inside a hollow protector 40 integrally joined by a thin flexible web 41 to the collar 8 surrounding the adapter. This holds the emptying tube up out of the way ofthe container bottom, particularly if the container is resting on a flat surface. Also, if slide clamp 43 is accidently opened, the container will not drain because the emptying tubes outer end is kept above the liquid level in the container. As shown in HO. 2, the protector has an internal rib 42 which snaps over connector flange 39 holding the connector inside the protector.

When it is time to empty the container, the nurse simply pulls the emptying tube connector 38 from the protector 40 as shown in dotted lines and then opens a slide clamp 43 on emptying tube 10. After the container is empty, she closes slide clamp 43 and puts connector 39 back in protector 40. All of this is done while the patient is still connected to the container via the collection tube 3 and the catheter.

Various thermoplastics can be used for the different parts, but we have found that the invention works very well if the container is blow molded as a single homogeneous container of polyethylene plastic, if the adapter is of polyvinyl chloride and if the collection and emptying tubes are of polyvinyl chloride. The coupling of FIG. 4 is ofa material that will readily cement or solvent seal to the emptying tube 10. For this purpose coupling 33 can be acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) plastic.

in the above description, we have used specific embodiments to describe our invention. However, it is understood that persons skilled in the art can make certain modifications to these embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

We claim:

1. For collecting medical liquids, the combination of: a collapsible container having a tubular neck extending outwardly from a top of the container; a flexible collection tube with a distal end adapted to connect with a source of liquid; an adapter connecting a proximate end of the collection tube to the tubular neck; said container having a hole through a wall thereof adjacent a bottom of the container; a tubular coupling with a stem portion having a passage in communication with this hole; opposed rigid flange and washer structures connected with the stem portion; an apertured gasket fitting against the container wall around the hole, with flange and washer structure squeezing the container wall and gasket therebetween to form a leak-tight joint between the coupling and the container wall; and an emptying tube connected at an inner end to the tubular coupling,

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein the adapter is held to the tubular neck by a rigid collar and a flexible web is connected to this collar.

3. The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein the emptying tube has a connector on its outer end, said connector having an enlarged flange thereon, and there is a protector having a hollow cavity with an internal rib that snaps over this flange to keep the protector on the connector.

4. The combination as claimed in claim 1 wherein the tubular coupling flange is integral with said tubular stem, said flange being disposed within said container, a snap ring disposed on said stem and spaced from said integral flange, a rigid washer having a central opening smaller in area than said snap ring, said washer being engaged between said snap ring and said coupling flange.

5. The combination as set forth in claim 4 wherein the apertured gasket member is between the container wall and the flange portion ofthe coupling.

6. The combination as set forth in claim 4 wherein the apertured gasket member is between the container wall and the washer.

7. The combination as set forth in claim 4 wherein the stem portion also has at least one tube retaining rib on its external surface and said emptying tube is flexible and is wedged onto an external surface of the stem portion.

8. The combination as set forth in claim 4 wherein the emptying tube is flexible and is solvent sealed to the stern portion of the coupling.

9. The combination as set forth in claim 4 wherein the washer has a thinned center section surrounded by a thickened peripheral rib, with at least a portion of the coupling flange fitting inside the peripheral rib.

10. For collecting medical liquids, the combination of: a one-piece blow molded collapsible container having a continuous seamless wall defining an enclosure, and an integral rigid tubular neck extending outwardly from an upper end of the container, said tubular neck having an external transverse rib thereon; a flexible collection tube with a distal end adapted to connect to a source of liquid; an adapter with a pair of concentric depending skirts, the outer skirt having an internal groove receiving the rib of the neck, and the inner skirt fitting within the tubular neck, said adapter having a flexible transverse end wall with a tubular connector joined to a proximate end of said collection tube, said adapter also having a transverse shoulder sectionjoining the two concentric skirts; a rigid collar surrounding said outer skirt holding it firmly to the tubular neck so the adapter cannot come loose from the neck during use, said collar having an internal rib which snaps under a lower edge of the outer skirt, and having an inwardly extending flange that overlies the shoulder connecting the two skirts; an outlet port structure adjacent a bottom of the container, said port structure including a rigid tubular coupling with a stem portion and an external coupling flange joined to one end of the stem portion, said coupling flange fitting inside the container while the stem portion extends outwardly through a hole in the container wall, an external snap ring integral with the stem portion and spaced a distance from the coupling flange, a rigid washer with an opening smaller in diameter than said snap ring, said washer being between the snap ring and said coupling flange squeezing the container wall between the washer and flange in a leak-tight joint, and an apertured gasket member in face-to-face contact with the container wall surrounding the opening through which the stem portion of the coupling projects; an emptying tube connected at an inner end to the stem portion of the coupling, and having a connector joined to an outer end of the emptying tube; and a hollow protector fitting over said connector, said protector integrally joined to the rigid collar by a thin flexible web so as to hold the outer end of the emptying tube above a liquid level in the container.

11. For collecting medical liquids, the combination of: a one-piece blow molded collapsible container having a continuous seamless wall defining an enclosure, and an integral rigid tubular neck extending outwardly from an upper end of the container; a flexible collection tube with a distal end adapted to connect to a source of liquid; an adapter connecting a proximate end of the collection tube to the tubular neck; said container having a hole in its seamless wall adjacent a bottom of the container; a tubular coupling with a stem portion having a passage in communication with this hole; opposed rigid flange and washer structures connected with a stem portion; an apertured gasket fitting against the container wall around the hole, with the flange and washer structure squeezing the container wall and gasket therebetween to form a leaktightjoint between the coupling and the container wall; and an emptying tube connected at an inner end to the tubular coupling.

12. For collecting medical liquids, the combination of: a collapsible container with a top inlet structure adapted for connection to a flexible collection tube; said container having a hole through a wall thereof adjacent a bottom of the container; a tubular coupling with a stem portion having a passage in communication with the hole; opposed rigid flange and washer structures connected with the stem portion; an apertured gasket fitting against the container wall around the hole, with the flange and washer structure squeezing the container wall and gasket therebetween to form a leak-tight joint between the coupling and the container wall; and an emptying tube connected at an inner end to the tubular coupling.

13. An apparatus for collecting medical liquids, in combination:

a substantially closed, collapsible container having an upper liquid-inlet neck;

a flexible tube for connecting at its distal end to a source of medical fluid;

and adapter connecting the proximate end of said collection tube to said liquid-inlet neck;

said container including an apertured wall portion adjacent the bottom of said container and through which medical liquid will drain;

the improvement comprising:

outlet port means operatively connected to said apertured wall portion and comprising:

a coupling sealingly engaging said apertured wall portion and including an integral flange opposed to one surface of the container wall portion and a tubular stem projecting from the container wall portion;

a snap ring circumposed about said stem and axially spaced from said flange;

said washer being disposed between said coupling flange and said snap ring; and

a resilient gasket circumposed on said stem and engaged with one adjacent surface of said container wall in sealed relation around the apertured wall portion. 

